Urbana Union

"Norman," (W. B. Moore, of this place.) the Washington correspondent of the O. S. Journal, says of these officers' arrival in Washington, captivity. &c.:

Among those returned within the last few days, were Captain Palmer and Lieuts. Sampson, Dempsey, and Ganson, of Urbana, captured in the slaughter of Port Republic. They were confined at Salisbury, North Carolina which is said to be the best of the "Secesh hotels." Their prison-house was a large double enclosure, surrounded by guards. The floor was their bed, and one room, served for laundry, kitchen, sleeping department and all the uses incident to humanity. Their food consisted of spoiled pork and corn meal varied once or twice with either fresh mule or horse meat, they were unable to determine which. though it was generally decided among them that the tail of that "beef" looked very much like mule tail. They all agree with Gen. Corcoran's statement that if the living portion of their salt pork were scraped away, nothing would have been left to cook. Add to all this, unnecessary prison severity, no communication with friends, and no sympathy, and one can imagine the condition and treatment of our captured friends.

The account Capt. Palmer gives of his capture fills up the story of the battle of Port Republic. The rebels defeated Gen. Carroll on that day by a flank movement on his left. This movement was anticipated on our side. and Capt. Palmer, of the 66th Ohio, assisted by Capt. Semmes of the 84th Pennsylvania. with two companies was ordered to deploy to the left, and hold the enemy in check, and thus protect our main battery. Capt. Palmer, with his company took the extreme advance, and posting himself in a thick woods on high ground, kept a whole brigade of rebels back for four hours! They held their position long after their supporting column, the 84th Pennsylvania skedaddled; and when it became necessary for them to retreat, this handful of men met the rebels swarming through the underbrush; and captured out of a whole brigade as many prisoners as they numbered themselves. It was but the work of a moment to disarm the prisoners. break their guns. and send them to the rear, in charge of the brave Lieut. Duncan McDonald. who escaped then to give his life afterwards to his country at the battle of Cedar Mountain. Capt. Palmer. with the remainder of his company gradually fell back, hoping to find his support; but, all firing having ceased. he concluded our army had retreated, and commenced also to rescue his command. They took an obscure pathway along the side of the mountain, and travelled very slowly, being detained by the wants of one of his prisoners, a Captain of the Louisiana Tigers, who by the way was no tiger at all, but a very quiet unassuming rebel, and who had been wounded in the wrist. The wound being very painful our men stopped at every spring to let him bathe it and assisted him in binding it up. This delay led to their capture. Just as they supposed they had gone beyond the reach of pursuit, they encountered a large body of rebel cavalry at a sudden turn in the road, were immediately surrounded and taken back the way they had come, exchanging places with their late captives. When taken, Capt. Palmer gave back the "Tiger" the sword he had surrendered and then tendered his own. The Louisiana Capt. told him to keep his sword. "You have treated me like a gentleman, and I will treat you the same." So they were marched to Richmond, thence to Lynchburg, and finally to Salisbury, whence they come again to join the remains of the glorious 66th and to try their luck once more.